Yunupingu, ‘the rock that stands against time’, leaves an indelible mark in struggle for Indigenous rights
Deeply schooled in traditional law through language, song and dance, this extraordinary Aboriginal leader’s voice will not be forgotten
Yunupingu, Yolŋu leader and campaigner for Indigenous rights, dies aged 74‘A great Australian’: Anthony Albanese leads tributes to YunupinguFollow our Australia news live blog for the latest updatesGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast
In remembering this extraordinary Aboriginal leader, it is difficult to forget the meaning of his family name, Yunupingu – which in the Gumatj dialect of the Yolŋu Matha language means “the rock that stands against time”.
Across so many decades, Yunupingu’s deeds and actions in the struggles for lands, seas, language and rights have surely reflected the meaning of that name. From his father’s campfire accounts of surviving being shot by Europeans in the 1920s “by a man licensed to do so”, to becoming the longest-serving member and chairman of the powerful Northern Land Council, leading the Yothu Yindi Foundation and hosting the annual Garma festival. His passing leaves an indelible mark far beyond the north-east Arnhem Land home of his people.
Law (Australia) | The Guardian
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